1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a connector for electrically connecting plate-shaped to-be-connected objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a connector for electrically connecting plate-shaped to-be-connected objects has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H09-306606.
This connector includes a housing that has a receiving space for receiving a card, which is one of the to-be-connected objects, and a plurality of contacts arranged in two rows, i.e. upper and lower rows, in the housing.
A plurality of upper contacts that form the upper row are press-fitted into the housing from a rear side of the housing, and a plurality of lower contacts that form the lower row are press-fitted into the housing from a front side of the housing.
Contact portions of the upper contacts are located toward the front of the housing, and terminal portions of the same are located toward the rear of the housing.
Contact portions and terminal portions of the lower contacts are located toward the front of the housing.
To connect the to-be-connected objects by the above-described connector, the whole connector has to be placed on a circuit board, which is the other to-be-connected object, due to the structure of the connector. As a result, the card and the circuit board are connected in parallel in a state separated from each other in the direction of the height of the connector by the thickness of a (lower) portion of the housing, for holding the lower contacts.
As described above, since the card and the circuit board are separated from each other by the thickness of the portion of the housing, for holding the lower contacts of the connector, it is required to provide a space (space in the direction of the height of the connector) large enough to accommodate the card and the circuit board in a casing e.g. of a notebook PC (Personal Computer).